While there are many good sights in Jodphurs there are also many backsides crammed into creaking Jodphurs where they shouldn’t be!

It is always the ones who shouldn’t be wearing them who insist on wearing them

Horses have a very tiny brain and are easily spooked with a flight response being their basic instinct.

Horses have a very tiny brain and are easily spooked with a flight response being their basic instinct.

Thats far to sensible a horse fact what people really need to know is they works like submarines and need to blow ballast before climbing.

I have always found the horseriders around where I normally ride to be sound. They’re much more chatty and polite than a lot of the walkers I meet.

It can be a pain if you get stuck behind them but well, that’s life, the bridleways are there for everyone.

I don’t think they’re that different to us tbf- a few times I have come around a corner to see a horserider going full pelt and then they’ve had to stop pretty sharpish with a sheepish look on their face- fine by me, I know the feeling.

I was once told that horses and dogs etc often don’t like bikes as they don’t realise you’re people when you are on a bike, you look alien to them. If you talk, they will realise and it can calm them, so it is good to talk when you are passing horses. Sounded plausible.

I used to ride horses, a lot. I found it to be a really wonderful pastime, and when I’m too old to make an mtb go uphill anymore I’m considering renewing my horseriding skills.

Horses can be trained to be in traffic- the Met Police and other horses can and do do some amazing things in crowds, disturbances and riots. However, not all horse owners/ riders can manage to get their horses to do the same, much as not all MTB riders can do amazing DH rides, tricks and stunts etc.

As I understand it however, bicycles and horses both have a right to use the public highway (rights of way are public highways I believe) and AFAIK in both cases the rider has to be ‘in control’ of their horse/ bike/ means of conveyance/ vehicle.

Over the years I have ridden/ owned a number of horses, much as I have with my bikes. I had an emotional bond with the horses, like with my dog at present and tbh the bond was stronger than the one I had/ have with my bikes.

One horse in particular was VERY easily spooked by traffic. I chose never to ride him on busy roads. I was not skilled enough to control him, so I avoided the problem. I personally believe that this is what horse riders should all do. If you cannot control your ‘ride’ in all reasonably predictable potential situations then you need to adapt in some way or another.

I learnt this the hard way. Phoenix, my horse spooked when my brother was unable to control him. He was hit by an articulated truck and desperately injured. My brother managed to jump clear just in time- Goodness knows how, and Phoenix was hit by a 44t lorry. It was not a good day for anybody.

Like cyclists need to be in control, horse riders need to be able to be in total control of their horses when they are on the public highway, the law requires it and if a person is not in control then they will become liable for any outcome. Cyclists perhaps should also be aware that horses not are always nice, and that a kick from a horse will ‘kin hurt! so don’t get too close.

However we all have a right to use the bridleways.

No problem with that, but if i had a horse and was riding it on public paths, i would train the creature to not be scared of things like bikes, cars etc

69er

Truly inspired, my Mrs is pissing her pants at your amazing logic. You don’t have horses do you?

Oh what a jolly time you and your missus must have laughing at the horseless commoners. Could you just clarify for a me, as a non horse owning pleb, is it possible to condition or “train” one of these beasts to tolerate the presence of bikes or cars or people? Or are they just mindless bundles of tasty meat that will do as they want?

A horse is a prey animal so likely to be spooked by almost anyhthing it sees as a threat. It is very muscular and has a small brain, as dangerous a combination as a teenager in a stolen Ferrari.

A polite “good morning!” does the trick around here, from well behind to give plenty of warning. The horse will sense the rider’s reaction to your presence.

One thing I haven’t had the balls to try yet: call out “Fancy swopping?” and when the rider replies “Oh, no thanks!” you reply: “I wasn’t talking to you – I was talking to your horse!”

jimjam – Member

“No problem with that, but if i had a horse and was riding it on public paths, i would train the creature to not be scared of things like bikes, cars etc “

69er

” Truly inspired, my Mrs is pissing her pants at your amazing logic. You don’t have horses do you? “

Oh what a jolly time you and your missus must have laughing at the horseless commoners. Could you just clarify for a me, as a non horse owning pleb, is it possible to condition or “train” one of these beasts to tolerate the presence of bikes or cars or people? Or are they just mindless bundles of tasty meat that will do as they want?

Dunno if its train them or get them habituated but of course you can get them not to be spooked at bikes

In the UK I have seen a good few horse spooked by bikes. In Holland I saw several horses non of which where spooked at all by bikes. so clearly a horse used to bikes does not get spooked – and police horses don’t get spooked by anything much.

With regard to control or otherwise of a horse, I have never understood why there isn’t some sort of test riders have to do before being allowed in traffic. Before somebody says the same could apply to bikes, a bike will just lie on the ground if you get off.
The riders round my way are fairly normal but there are a lot of young, small, posh girls on large horses which they haven’t a hope in hell of controlling if it decides to go AWOL. And yes I do know about horses, my ex-wife was a riding instructor [which might be the cause of my negative views on horses!].